The Associated Press, long heralded as the gold standard of “objective” journalism, just reminded everyone exactly whose side they’re on — and it’s not the side of consistency. In their latest display of narrative massaging, the AP managed to take what should have been a politically career-ending scandal for Virginia Attorney General candidate Jay Jones and downshift it into a polite misstep from a “past exchange.”
To recap: Jones isn’t just facing heat for off-color language or bad optics. He’s accused of sending messages fantasizing about killing a Republican House Speaker and his children — explicit language about “two bullets to the head” and watching “fascist children die.” Add to that fresh allegations from a Democratic colleague that he once mused police might shoot fewer people if some of them were killed themselves, and you’ve got a situation that, by every traditional media metric, screams disqualifying.
This is for real the only two headlines @AP has on Jay Jones.
Jay Jones apologizes…and Trump’s GOP seizes on violent rhetoric pic.twitter.com/DCJyxur56A
— Brent Scher (@BrentScher) October 7, 2025
But if you’re waiting for headlines with words like “violent rhetoric,” “incendiary,” “extremist,” or even “unfit,” you’ll be waiting a long time. Because the AP — like clockwork — softens the blow, downplays the timeline, and turns what should be a red-alert story into a shrug-worthy footnote. It’s political triage, not reporting.
Imagine, for one second, that a Republican — say a GOP state rep or Senate hopeful — had written anything even remotely resembling this about a Democrat, much less their children. Would we get calm, tepid headlines about “past remarks” or “text controversies”? Or would it be a 24/7 siren loop about political violence, right-wing radicalization, and threats to democracy?
We all know the answer.
But did the GOP “pounce”?
— Its A Dry Heat (@Its_a_dryheat) October 7, 2025
The real issue here isn’t just about Jones — it’s about the reflexive double standard that shields one side of the aisle while crucifying the other. The same outlets that leap to amplify every eyebrow raise from a Republican now stumble over themselves to suppress open calls for violence from a Democrat candidate for attorney general.
And let’s not pretend it’s subtle. Words like “pounce” and “seize” are already showing up in the coverage — those trusty buzzwords used to mock Republican responses whenever a Democrat lands in hot water. You could set your watch to it. Apparently, reacting to violent rhetoric is no longer concern for national discourse — it’s just “seizing” and “pouncing” for political gain.
Not surprising
Didn’t AP share a building with Hamas and then reported as if they were neutral?
— Larry Hawkins (@Larryszeminska) October 7, 2025
Of course, none of this would surprise those who’ve been watching legacy media outlets drift further from their old standards of neutrality. The AP’s gentle treatment of Jay Jones is the rule, not the exception. The outrage machine grinds into gear only when the wrong people say the wrong things.
And while high-profile Democrats continue to hold their tongues, offering no condemnation and hoping this story quietly fades, the AP is only too happy to help make that happen. Just a little headline tweak here, a softened lead there — and suddenly it’s not a political firestorm, it’s just a “2022 incident” that needs a little context.
